Celine Dion, 52, Wishes Son Happy 20th Birthday & Remembers Husband Who Died of Throat Cancer; “Remember Also That Your Father is Always Watching Over You”

Celine lovingly remembered when her now-adult son first uttered the word “mom.” She wrote on Instagram, “René-Charles, my son, Twenty years ago, I had the privilege to hear the word mom for the very first time… my dream came true, and you changed our lives forever! It's hard to believe that two decades have already passed. You carry the colour of the sky in your eyes and that same blue is the colour of our love. Go out there and embrace life, and remember to never stop believing in yourself, because I believe in you…”

 

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A post shared by Céline Dion (@celinedion)

René’s Throat Cancer Battle

René was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998, and it later went into remission. However, the cancer returned in 2014. René’s second bout of throat cancer was diagnosed after doctors found a lump on his neck, and he had surgery to treat it in 2014. Parts of Renés tongue were removed during the surgical procedure to treat his throat cancer. He passed away in 2016 from throat cancer at the age of 73.

We don’t know the cause of René’s throat cancer, but we do know that throat cancer can be connected to HPV. Dr. Jessica Geiger, a Medical Oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, explained in a previous interview the link between throat cancer and HPV. "Right now,” she said, “there are no screening guidelines to screen for throat cancer, unlike cervical cancer with pap smears. And there are no standard tests to determine if you harbor the virus. However, there is no concern that you're going to spread this cancer to your partner or to anyone else, because at this point your partner has already been exposed to the virus and likely cleared it."

Related: Amazing Year for Actor Val Kilmer, 60; After Successful Surgery for Throat Cancer He's Revived Career With New Movies

"HPV-related throat cancer, generally, is very responsive to treatment with radiation and chemotherapy,” said Dr. Geiger. “And the cure rates for patients who have HPV-related disease are a lot higher than those who have tobacco-related throat cancer."

Get the Facts: What Do We Know About HPV-Linked Throat Cancer?

Coping with Loss of a Parent to Cancer

Losing a parent to cancer, as Celine’s children experienced, is a heartbreaking ordeal that takes time to process. After losing a parent or loved one to cancer, it’s important to give yourself time and space to work through the grief. Many people find that therapy is a helpful way to process the loss.

Related: A Major Step in the Cancer Journey: Learning to Deal With Vulnerability

Camila Legaspi was only in high school when she lost her mother to breast cancer. Legaspi credits therapy with seeing her through that difficult time. She said in a previous interview, “Therapy saved my life. I was dealing with some really intense anxiety and depression at that point. It just changed my life, because I was so drained by all the negativity that was going on.”

“Going to a therapist helped me realize that there was still so much out there for me, that I still had my family, that I still had my siblings. The reality is, is when you lose someone, it’s really, really, really hard. And it’s totally OK to talk to someone. And I’m so happy that I talked to my therapist.”

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